Thank your Senators for Continuing to Support the NIH Public Access Policy

Thank your Senators for continuing to support the NIH Public Access Policy
(Posted October 31, 2007)

The Senate's approval of the FY08 LHHS Appropriations Bill and inclusion of the NIH public access policy provision is a milestone victory for public access to publicly funded research and its supporters. Please take a moment to thank your Senators for their ongoing commitment to this issue. Talking points and fax contact information are included for your use below. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact the ATA through Jennifer at jennifer@arl.org.

TALKING POINTS

Dear Senator:

On behalf of [your organization], I want to thank you for your leadership in supporting timely online access to articles reporting the results of government-funded biomedical research.

The Senate’s inclusion of language in the FY08 Labor/HHS Appropriations Bill that directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to strengthen its policy for making NIH-funded research findings freely available in the agency’s online archive (Sec. 221) is a vital step in the evolution of science. The legislation will effectively promote accelerated scientific advancement and address the public's growing need for high-quality health information.

Your forward-looking, carefully weighed, and appropriately balanced action recognizes that the Internet offers an unprecedented and cost-effective means to expand the return on taxpayer investment in NIH. By bringing down barriers to sharing of research, we can ensure knowledge is available beyond traditional research niches and encourage new and interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex challenges. Universal access to the full scope of NIH research will unlock the health, economic, and social benefits that motivate federal spending on medical research.

With your continued leadership and support as the bill advances, NIH can effectively achieve the worthy public access goals set out in 2004 by Director Zerhouni: to advance science, speed discovery, and provide for a sustainable archive of government-funded research results.

We congratulate you for your leadership in delivering public access to publicly funded research. Thank you.